Overhanging skin on the upper eyelids can be addressed in two ways: an upper eyelid lift or a brow (forehead) lift. In the past, surgeons often chose to automatically perform an upper eyelid lift to correct sagging of the upper lid, however a brow lift is often used today to create the same result. A brow lift can be performed alone or in conjunction with a facelift to remove excess skin and tighten muscles in the mid and lower face.
Younger adults who have a naturally low brow or who already have deep frown lines due to stress or muscle over activity may also benefit from a brow lift. Sometimes, patients may focus their attention on excess skin in the upper eyelids and not realize that it is their sagging eyebrows that are the cause of the problem.
We will explain the benefits of both eyelid surgery and brow lift as each procedure applies to you. The surgical technique that we recommend will depend on things such as the position of your eyebrows, the amount of excess upper eyelid skin you have, and the height of your hairline.
In most cases an incision is made across the top of the scalp, beginning above the ears and hidden in the hair and is designed to be inconspicuous once healed. Through these incisions, we can modify or remove parts of the muscles that cause frown lines, remove excess skin, and lift your eyebrows to a more youthful level.
Another forehead lift technique uses an endoscope. This is a long, thin tube with a light on the end, attached to a video camera. The endoscope is inserted through a few tiny incisions in the scalp, allowing us to see and work on the inside structure of the forehead. The endoscopic technique has the advantage of requiring minimal incisions, but it may not be appropriate for all patients.
If your main concern is frown lines between your eyebrows, a limited endoscopic procedure can be performed to correct these problems. If you are having upper eyelid surgery performed, it may also be possible to treat frown lines by way of the incisions that are made in the upper eyelid.
Complications from a brow lift are infrequent, but can include prolonged numbness and itching, and minor hair loss where the scalp incisions were made which is usually temporary and is easy to conceal.
Swelling and bruising are usually gone within two weeks and you may use camouflage makeup almost immediately. You will have an accurate idea of how you will look within a few weeks.
A brow lift can only be performed surgically; non-surgical rejuvenation treatments cannot achieve the same results, but may help delay the time at which a brow lift becomes appropriate and complement the results of surgery.
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